At this date the proprietors of large estates who wished to enclose by Act of Parliament, generally settled all the particulars among themselves before calling any meeting of the rest of the proprietors.  The small proprietor had very little say either in regulating the clauses of the Act, or in the choice of commissioners.  Any owner of one-fifth of the land, however, could negative the measure and often used his right to impose unreasonable clauses.  It is well known that the legal expenses and fencing were very costly.  The enclosure commissioners too often divided the land in an arbitrary and ignorant manner, and there was no appeal from them except by filing a bill in Chancery.  Accounts were hardly ever shown by the commissioners, and if a proprietor refused to pay the sums levied they were empowered to distrain immediately.  All these evils attending enclosure made many who were eager to benefit by it very chary in commencing it.[449]

Then, as now, one of the commonest errors of farmers was that of taking too much land for their capital; Young considered L6 an acre necessary on an average, equal to more than L12 to-day; a sum which few farmers at any time have in hand when they take a farm.  As for gentlemen farmers, who were then rushing into the business, they were warned that they had no chance of success if they kept any company or amused themselves with anything but their own business, unless perhaps they had a good bailiff.

Lime, one of the most ancient of manures, was then the most commonly used in England, 80 to 100 loads an acre being a common dressing, but many farmers were very ignorant of its proper use.  Marl, which to-day is seldom used, was considered to last for twenty years, though for the first year no benefit was observable, and very little the second and the third, its value then becoming very apparent.  In the last five years, however, its value was nearly worn out.  But it was much to be questioned whether marl in its best state anywhere yields an increase of produce equal to that which a good manuring of dung will give.[450] Marl was applied in huge quantities on arable and grass, and often made the latter look like arable land so thickly was it spread.

At this date (1770) the average crops on poor, and on good land were[451]: 

  On land worth 5s. an acre: 

    Wheat 12 bushels per acre. 
    Rye 16 " "
    Barley 16 " "
    Oats 20 " "
    Turnips, to the value of L1. 
    Clover " "

  On land worth 20s. an acre: 

    Wheat 28 bushels per acre. 
    Barley 40 " "
    Oats 48 " "
    Beans 40 " "
    Turnips, to the value of L3. 
    Clover " "